Display device



June 3, 1958 E. R. RANUCCI 2,336,912

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed April 22, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig./

E. R. RANUCCI June 3, 1958 DISPLAY DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 v 8 3 E z 42 W l 6 a 5i 1 n M. 2 w 9 Lil w 3 1+ mes? R. fianucei INVENTOR.

nited States 2,8353% Patented June 3, 1958 DISPLAY DEVICE Ernest R.Ranucci, Fanwood, N. J.

Application April 22, 1957, Serial No. 654,249

3 Claims. (Cl. 40-30 The present invention generally relates to adisplay device and more particularly to a device that is eyecatching sothat merchandise displayed therein will be observed by prospectivepurchasers.

An object of the present invention is to provide a display deviceincorporating in its construction a pair of spaced, vertically aligneddisks, with one disk being rotatable in relation to the other and theperipheries of the disks being interconnected by a series of flexibleand elastic members, whereby oscillation of one of the disks will causesequential expansion and contraction of the elastic cords, thus forminga dynamic pattern which is eye-catching, thus permitting merchandise tobe displayed within the confines of the elastic cords.

Another important object of the present invention isto provide a displaydevice which is extremely simple in construction, eye-catching, welladapted for its intended purposes and relatively inexpensive tomanufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the display device of the presentinvention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a plan sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 33 of Figure 2, showing the details of thedriving mechanism; and

Figure 4 is a plan sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 44 of Figure 2 illustrating the constructionof the bottom plate.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 19 generallydesignates the display device of the present invention which includes abottom, stationary, circular disk or plate 12 supported rigidly with abottom portion or arm 14 of a supporting bracket 16. The upper end ofthe supporting bracket 16 is provided with an upper arm 18 in parallelrelation to the lower arm 14, with a depending shaft 20 being journaledin a bearing 22 depending from the arm 18 and held thereon by a collar24. On the lower end of the shaft 20 is an upper circular disk or plate26 being disposed in vertical alignment with the bottom plate 12.

Also supported on the arm 18 is a motor 28 of the electric type having arotatable plate 30 driven thereby with a connecting arm 32 beingattached to the plate 30 by an eccentric 34. The other end of the arm 32is connected to an upstanding eccentric 36 on the upper disk 26, wherebyrotation of the plate 30 will cause oscillation of the disk 26 about theaxis of the shaft 20. By varying the position of the eccentrics 34 and36 and the dimensions of the arm 32, the scope of oscillation of theupper disk 26 may be varied.

Extending between the disks 26 and 12 is a plurality of elastic cords38, with these cords extending through the plates and connected theretoadjacent the peripheral edge of the plates or disks and being disposedin circumferentially spaced relation. Figure 2 illustrates the normalposition of the elastic cords 38 when they are in parallel relation.However, actuation of the motor 28 will cause oscillation of the upperdisk 26, thus causing sequential or alternating expansion andcontraction of the elastic cords as illustrated in Figure 1, thusforming a pattern which is eye-catching, and any merchandise disposed onthe upper surface of the bottom disk 12 within the confines of thepattern formed by the cords 38 will be observed by prospectivecustomers, thus advertising the merchandise in a highly successfulmanner.

it is pointed out that any mechanism may be employed for supporting thedisk, with the supporting mechanism and driving mechanism being normallyhidden from view, thus further lending to the eye-catching ability ofthe device.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A display device comprising a stationary bottom plate, an upper platerotatable with respect to said stationary plate, a plurality of elasticcords extending between the peripheral edge portions of the plates incircumferentially spaced relation, and means for oscillating said upperplate, thereby causing alternating expansion and contraction of theelatic cords and alternating expansion and contraction of thecylindrical space enclosed by the cords for drawing attention tomerchandise displayed on the bottom plate.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said plates are circular, with theupper plate being suspended from a support arm.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein said oscillating means includesan electric motor having a circular plate mounted on the drive shaftthereof, a connecting arm having one end eccentrically pivotallyconnected with the plate on the drive shaft of the motor and the otherend eccentrically connected with the upper plate, thereby causingoscillation of the upper plate in relation to the lower plate.

Great Britain Apr. 10, 1893 France May 26, 1924

